New Zealand fishing company Sanford has been fined $2.2
million (NZ) by a US court for dumping oil waste from tuna
fishing vessel, the San Nikunau, off American Samoa.
The company was also ordered to pay another $597,000 as a
community service payment to the US National Fisheries
Foundation and is subject to a three-year probationary period
during which Sanford vessels cannot enter US Ports.
The sentence was handed down in the US District Court in
Washington.
The US Justice Department called for a $3.5m fine and a five
year probation period - a sentence Sanford lawyers said was
"excessive".
Sanford Lawyers said that the company's fleet was no longer
calling at US ports or travelling in its waters.
"Historically, Sanford Vessels rarely transited through US
waters, but now avoid doing so. Our vessels no longer use
Pago Pago as an unloading port with all catch now being sold
and transferred to fish carriers at sea or landed in New
Zealand," said managing director Eric Barrat.
Mr Barrat said they were pleased the court issue behind them
and they will now concentrate their efforts on improving
overall environmental compliance.
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